Gender differences in the relationship between depression, internalizing /externalizing problems, and personality styles in adolescents

Abstract

The present study examined gender in relationship to depression, internalized/externalized problems, and personality styles in an adolescent population attending a suburban high school. This study explored differences in female and male experiences in adolescence, using scales that measure personality styles, expressed concerns, behavioral problems, and depression. The present investigation used data that were drawn from a larger longitudinal study of adolescent depression and development conducted at Pace University. The participants attended a Westchester public high school and were in grades 9th to 12th. The measures that were administered for this study were the following: The Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), which determines the presence and the severity of depression; the Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory (MAPI), which assesses personality styles and adolescents' expressed concerns; and the Achenbach Youth Self-Report (YSR), which assesses behavioral problems of adolescents and categorizes them into internalizing and externalizing styles. ^ The first hypothesis stated that female adolescents would report greater depressive symptomatology than the male adolescents on the CES-DC. As was expected, this finding was supported. The females reported almost twice as much depression than the males. The second hypothesis stated that female adolescents would have more internalizing problem, anxiety, somatic, and depression than male adolescents. This hypothesis was also confirmed for all variables. The third hypothesis stated that male adolescents would report more externalizing problems, aggression and delinquency than females. The delinquency was the only behavior that was significant. ^ In summary, the analyses do partially support gender differences in the relationships between MAPI subscales and YSR internalizing and externalizing scales. When the analysis included the internalizing scale of the YSR, gender differences are found on five of the MAPI subscales. When the analysis included the externalizing scale of the YSR, gender differences are found on eight of the MAPI subscales. Combining internalizing and externalizing YSR scales, gender differences are found on half the MAPI subscales. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)^